by Thom Pye

Columbus, OH — Since 1852 the Warren County Fair has been held off North Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio, and a lot of people over the years have put their time and energies into it. And none perhaps as much as longtime fair official/breeder/owner/trainer and family patriarch, Maynard Hagemeyer, who just recently passed this week. So, it was fitting that Thursday (July 20) two-card race day be held at the track that he called home in honor of him for a job, and a life, well done.

Photo courtesy of the OHHA

It’saction in the first turn as the 3-year-old filly pacers jockey for positionin their $4,849 OCRA division.

The Ohio Colt Racing Association’s (OCRA) stakes for 2-and 3-year-olds began with Esther Crownover’s pacing colt Mighty Rock (Pet Rock) as he stung his competition with a mile in 2:02.4 in only his fourth lifetime start. The Steve Carter-trained 2-year-old was driven by Ryan Holton, the first of five wins on the day for him.

Jack Dailey added to his 3,000-plus winning-driving career total as he aired with Richard Bauder’s 2-year-old Woodstock filly Princess Kay in 2:02. The easy-going miss is trained by John Predmore and now has two-in-a-row… in Ohio.

And then the rains came and a short delay. By the afternoon’s program finale, the surface had recovered enough to produce a decent time of 2:01.4 as nine trotters stepped it off in the FFA. They were Paging Doctorlindy as Randy Tharps drove the Tom Lazzaro-owned, Brandon Piquet-trained Cantab Hall gelding to a close win and reset the tote board with a hefty $44.20-win ticket.

The 6:00 p.m. evening races continued with impressive miles when trainer/driver Bruce Sturgeon took an overnight with Johnny Come Lately in 1:59. Sturgeon co-owns the 8-year-old horse by American Ideal with Leonard Cooper of Owensville.

Ryan Holton sent the Jim Dailey-conditioned Scotch McEwan in the second $5,143 OCRA division for 3-year-old colts to the fastest mile of the day in 1:58. Carl Alley’s gelded son of McArdle was barred from wagering since he has earned over $220,000 and sports a mark of 1:52.3 taken at Scioto Downs, both this year and last.